Salzburg & München Tag 1
As I previously mentioned, getting to Salzburg from Vienna presented challenges. As it turned out, the spirit of our two days in Vienna both were a bit dampened by the unfortunate weather - it rained in some form or another the entire time and were consecutive record breakers for the coldest days Mitchell and I experienced in Europe this summer, with Friday peaking tentatively at 55 degrees in the late evening. We did the best that we could to make what we could out of the trip, though I must say Mitchell was far better equipped for the weather with his waterproof shoes and rain suit, which he so proudly wore over his backpack like a turtle. Cheers as well to ESPIRIT for having had a sale on a fantastic scarf a few weeks ago in Dresden because it ended up being a lifesaver. [Why didn’t you just wear a sweatshirt?, one might ask - I, being the incredibly intelligent individual that I am, left my only sweatshirt at the gate in Boston Logan in a stroke of brilliance.]
The universe decided that since unfortunate weather obviously would not stop us, it would be appropriate to make both of us sick. When we were finally underway to Salzburg, our train went though a few mountains, causing in some rather discomforting changes in pressure. My ears, the pampered little things, reacted rather terribly to this and the series of violent pops caused painful sinus problems for the rest of the trip and the start of our Munich leg. Thankfully the train to Munich made the considerate decision to go around the mountains instead of through them and my head was saved further damage (at least until I fly out on Thursday). Mitchell, I’m sure, was grateful that I then lost my voice completely because I could not bother him any longer for his last day except at a weak whisper. It certainly made ordering breakfast and refills this morning interesting, but thankfully my server was the sweetest and laughed (aloud) to my silent chuckles as I attempted to ask for tea. Props to her for being a mind reader - it saved me considerable effort and face.
Anyway, the rain didn’t stop the tourists from doing their thing in Salzburg, but it did prevent us from getting the full experience at the fortress on a hill overlooking Salzburg, the Hohensalzburg Festung. It was mostly abandoned when Mitchell and I were there on Friday, though a video presentation of sorts we observed while waiting in line for the museum inside showed people in colorful renaissance clothes and making artisan crafts, so we assume we missed the main event. This is besides the view of Salzburg from the fortress walls, of course, which was absolutely stunning. The contrasts in every photo stand testament to the beauty of rainy days. If nothing else, the photos we took and the food we ate can salvage our trip to Salzburg until we can return.
Mitchell’s family bought us a dinner in both Austrian cities we visited, for which we are both
extremely grateful. In Salzburg this meant that we could visit the Sternbräu Keller for spectacular traditional dishes and a waffle with fresh berries and eis for dessert. Earlier on Friday we had Nockerl at a Mozart Cafe for breakfast, a famous dessert in Salzburg made from cranberries and heavily whipped egg whites. Basically this thing is foam shaped into three “mountains” that represent the valley in which the city lies, and lightly toasted. I am glad to have tried it, but I would not mind waiting until the next time I am in Salzburg to have it again. Also at the cafe we had fantastic hot chocolate - the secret for making hot chocolate seems to be two things: make it with thick milk and let the person enjoying it sweeten it to taste. Europeans sure can make a killer hot chocolate; Mitchell and I have been converted.
Salzburg, of course, is known as the Sound of Music city, and the hoards of tourists in the soggy weather proves the effect that has had on the city. We spent our time trying to figure out what actual residents of Salzburg did in the city because down any alley you turn, the marks of tourism clearly show. When in the Mozart Cafe, Mitchell and I watched as this hilarious pair of old ladies who were obviously the best of friends and animatedly discussed who-knows-what which great emphasis and enthusiasm. These two are the only people we observed that had to be residents. It was a delight to watch them interact, especially after being worn down by crowds and precipitation.
Also, as I write this at a cafe in Munich, there is a trio of old ladies sitting next to me that seem to be speaking nearly unintelligible German. It doesn’t seem like they understand each other most of the time, either. Welcome to Bavaria, I guess.
Our hostel in Salzburg was quite lovely, actually, and well-situated about a five minute walk from the
Hauptbahnhof - though I guess many things are since the city center is so dense. The room we had was beautiful and clean, featured high ceilings and plenty of natural light, and comfortably housed eight people. The front desk staff was wonderful and in general, we were completely satisfied with the experience. Unfortunately the standards are not equivalent throughout the hostel chain; we booked a room for a night in Munich with the same company and it was a terrible experience. Luckily it was only for one night (I am switching hostels and Mitchell left this morning) because I don’t think I could handle any more of the craziness. And even though this will probably make my family concerned, I will tell a little about this experience with a lovely, extremely sarcastic review:
I must say, my friend and I had quite the experience at AO Munich Hackerbrücke. The atmosphere positively reeked with welcoming attitude contributed by the sleeping adult men in the corners of the lobby and the large group of greeters smoking by the entrance at all times. It is lovely that the hostel bar can be a meeting place for the entire community, and an entirely safe one at that. Never once did I feel uncomfortable there, not even when a lovely conversation turned into an aggressive and one-sided series of hurled insults and no one interrupted it, nor when a genial man would not respect my requests when I told him multiple times to go away in Russian using Google Translate, no matter how blunt I tried to be. (Note: dealing with inconsiderate creeps is much easier when you speak their language.) When we were finally able to get to our room, my travel buddy and I were a bit surprised to see all of the beds made as if full capacity had already been reached. Luckily, Mitchell was reassured at the front desk that there were two unoccupied beds and the previous guests must have been so kind as to have left the beds made so we wouldn’t have to! What a treat. If you are looking for a questionably hygienic place to rest your head, look no farther! Even the white bathroom tile had been decorated with artfully placed muddy footprints and colorful stains. With all that being said, this hostel is the perfect place for those with low standards to stay for a cheap price - who am I kidding? The hostel was terrible and soundly soiled our view of the chain as badly as the stained pillowcase I found on my bed.
Despite the frustrations we were met with during our first few hours in Munich - a city I didn’t particularly like from my last visit but wanted to give a second chance - we did find a few rays of sunshine. The city center is truly beautiful and makes you feel like you are in a fairy tale. We ate dinner at the Hofbräuhaus, a staple of the 'German experience,’ where Mitchell made a keen observation: the Hofbräuhaus embodies nearly every stereotype of Germany: lederhosen and dirndls, women walking around with baskets of ginormous pretzels for sale, large steins of beer, meaty and hearty food, singing and jolly drinking music, sharing tables with strangers, large wooden benches built for standing on, and painting of sausages everywhere. It is so loud in there that you can’t hear yourself think, but in the best possible way. At one point, someone dropped a stein and it shattered, causing the entire
hall (it is a huge place, mind you) to cheer and bang their fists on the tables, laughing. It was a thing of beauty, really, though I am glad it wasn’t my mistake. If someone’s first experience in Germany was at the Hofbräuhaus, they would find themselves in culture schock, or perhaps a dream propelled by much alcohol and gaiety. Mitchell and I concluded that while neither of us necessarily like the city (I still have a few days here, so I am allowed to change my
mind), it exemplifies everything that foreigners think Germany is and love about it, which is not a bad reason to like the city. I dislike it for other reasons, but no one can deny that it is a beautiful city with a lot of culture.
Because I feel I need to add more positive things to this post - it’s been a rough couple of days, okay? - I have two more quick stories:
Mitchell and I were discussing the views of the city while walking into the U-Bahn station at
Marienplatz when a man stopped us to ask a question since we obviously spoke English. After the day we had, my first thought was Not again! If this guy is even remotely crazy or weird, I swear I am going to go nuts myself. Luckily for us (for him?), he just wanted help buying a ticket and understanding the transportation system. Mitchell and I were relieved and more than happy to oblige, showing him how to work the ticket machines and validate his ticket. His gratefulness and hearty, repeated handshakes helped turn the day around a little farther.
Today, now that Mitchell is on his way home and I am switching hostels, I found myself tiredly trying to find the best way to get myself across town. It took a bit, but I figured out the right S-Bahn stop and stepped out at Siemenswerke to find a scrubby field. Of course, a lovely view, right? The S-Bahn, clearly in need of a good greasing, screeches away and I turn around to see delightfully unique apartment buildings and blue skies. I have to cross through that area, so I begin to drag my luggage past the towers, realizing slowly that I must be in some kind of quiet suburb.
No cars or crosswalks in sight, just elderly couples walking dogs and intensely focused kids learning to ride bikes with their dad. The green spaces, sunlight and quirky buildings calmed me, and I wandered contentedly for a while until I stumbled on a wonderful cafe with outdoor tables. I sit down and enjoy the view until the waitress comes over, and the rest is history. I love this cafe, I love the atmosphere, and I love the chance to just sit here with my tea and journal, absorbing the experience and the sunshine and giggling with the warm-hearted server over the noises coming out of my mouth that vaguely resemble those of a dying animal. I’ve been sitting here for no less than 7 hours now, relishing every minute of it, and I think I’m ready to give Munich another chance.